Does this sound like an IWE issue?

[trayack]

Truck is a 13 with 19k miles of which 6k are highway the rest is around town driving. I took it on the beach today, shifted to 4x4 while stopped and hit the beach. On the way out it was getting loud bangs and shutters like it was popping out of 4wheel. It did it about 10-12 times over 4 miles of beach driving. Got to where I was going and parked it for about a half hour.

On the return trip is was totally fine, no issues whatsoever.

So, it's obviously the IWE related issue, but I wasn't sure if they come and go for others.

Thoughts?

-Travis

 

[HAYNES OFFROAD]

If your feeling it through the steering and feel the loss of forward movement from the front tires, then yes, most likely the IWE gears are slipping off of the wheel hub gear. The teeth on the IWE gears are probably worn down and rounded off a bit (from shearing), or even cracked.


Upgraded IWE gears are on the way, I hope to have them available for purchase in 2-3 months.

 

[SuperRaptor]

I wonder if you Cry'oed the stock ones it would help at all?

 

[HAYNES OFFROAD]

I wonder if you Cry'oed the stock ones it would help at all?

I've already tried it. Made them even more brittle. I took brand new ones, sent them to cryo and installed them. Cracked them within a couple hours. The teeth did look better as the material was harder, and did not show the same shearing effect, but the reaction of any hardening is a more brittle product that will not take shock loading well. There's a careful balance with heat treatments (cryo is considered a heat treatment <lack thereof>)

 

[SuperRaptor]

I was thinking that would probably not work after I typed it. Just seems like we could find a stronger material that could handle it and wouldn't round off the teeth. Or just a stronger vaccuum so they would seat better. Maybe Titanium or Stainless Steel ones? (I'm talking out my ass if you can't tell).

 

[Huck]

I was thinking that would probably not work after I typed it. Just seems like we could find a stronger material that could handle it and wouldn't round off the teeth. Or just a stronger vaccuum so they would seat better. Maybe Titanium or Stainless Steel ones? (I'm talking out my ass if you can't tell).

Vacuum keeps then disengaged. A spring engages them.

You need a failure point in a system, would you rather have an iwe go or something inside the transfer case?

 

[SuperRaptor]

Vacuum keeps then disengaged. A spring engages them.

You need a failure point in a system, would you rather have an iwe go or something inside the transfer case?

I refer to the vacuum in regards to keeping them from partially engaging when you don't want to. I personally always let mine build up for at least a minute before driving if the truck has been off for any length of time. It's a fantastically designed system-in theory, could just use some beefing up.

 

[trayack]

So I should have the dealership start there I assume. I have a full working garage, lift included so normally I'd just dig in myself however I don't want to void the frickin warranty...

Why would it do it on the way out, but be fine on the way in. Seems more like a vac sel issue right?

 

[FordService]

So I should have the dealership start there I assume...

Good idea, Travis; come back and let us know what they have to say. I'm always just a PM away if you need my help after your trip to the dealer.

Crystal

 

[Rorywg]

To the OP- I have now been through a lot (maybe 5) IWEs over a few years of hard driving in deep sand. My most recent switch was last week after probably 12 months of regular, hard, desert driving and a few big trips. Your experience is exactly what I have gone through- the IWE fails to engage properly, and slips/clunks. Then it seems OK for a few runs, before it slips again and eventually fails completely. I think you have now got the warning that the IWE is about to give up (i.e.- you will have no 4WD). I assume that this is because the teeth are getting worn and the slippage is intermittent because the wear/damage is in one area of the ring.

Oddly, it is really hard to see the damage when you take off the old IWE, although you might pick up bits of metal in the grease. It is pretty easy to replace the IWE (even for me- and I'm an idiot) but it is easy to damage the plastic ring on the actuator if you are not careful.

NB- if you replace the IWE, make sure that you replace the actuator also… even if this seems obvious, the dealership out here (thieves, fools) failed to do so of rme the first time I had this problem.

In my experience, the biggest causes of IWE failure are:
- Applying too much power when first starting in 4WD. Much better to shift when stationary (never on the fly), wait for the system to engage fully (i give it 30 secs at least) and pull off gently. You sometimes get an innocuous engagement clunk- different in sound and feel to the IWE fail.
- Power sliding!
- Excessive lateral load (for example, when attempting self-recovery in deep sand)
- plain crappy luck. These things seem to wear out…

Good luck! The good news is that, as someone said to me, now you know what it sounds and feels like, so you won;t be guessing next time. Some sort of comfort, I guess...